Inquiry in Third Grade

Our third graders learn through the lens of six thematic inquiry units throughout their school year.

Inquiry Unit Theme One: How we express ourselves

Central Idea: Using our imagination can give us perspective to another culture’s values and expressions.

Sample Guided Inquiry question asked by scholar: I wonder about the cultural values and expressions in China?

Summative assessment: Scholars write a narrative essay and create a drawing that is set in a foreign country of their choice.  They are tasked with embedding the country’s cultural values and expressions into the essay.

Key Concepts: Perspective, Form, Responsibility

Subject Focus: Social Studies, Reading, Writing

Learner Profile Traits: Open-minded, Inquirers, Knowledgeable

ATL Skills: Writing (Communication Skill), Comprehension (Thinking Skill), Synthesis (Thinking Skill)

Lines of Inquiry:

• Distant countries have cultures and daily lives similar and different from our own.
• Distant regions have their own unique expressions.
• Respecting a different culture’s values and expressions may build empathy.

Inquiry Unit Theme Two: Where we are in place and time

Central Idea: Climate and geography influence life in distant places.

Sample Guided Inquiry question asked by scholar: I wonder how humans interact with the climate, geography and bodies of water in Australia?

Summative assessment: Scholars answer questions in writing about the climate region of their choice and create a climate map with a key that details climate zones, geographical features, bodies of water, and how humans interact with the geography.  

Key Concepts: Causation, Perspective, Form

Subject Focus: Science, Social Studies, Reading, Writing

Learner Profile Traits: Knowledgeable, Inquirer, Thinker

ATL Skills: Collecting Data (Research Skills), Fine Motor (Self-Management Skills), Evaluation (Thinking)

Lines of Inquiry:

• Regions have different climates.
• Regions have different geographical features.
• People adapt to the climate and geographical features of an area.
• We can compare climates and geographical features and people’s adaptations to them in different areas.

Inquiry Unit Theme Three: Who we are

Central Idea: Physical traits are inherited and influential.

Sample Inquiry question asked by scholar: I wonder how mutated genes make cancer?

Summative assessment: Scholars will write a 3-4 paragraph informative essay that answers their inquiry.

Key Concepts: Reflection, Perspective, Causation

Subject Focus: Science, Reading, Writing

Learner Profile Traits: Reflective, Principled, Balanced

ATL Skills: Reading (Communication Skill), Formulating Questions (Research Skill), Collecting Data (Research Skill), Writing (Communication Skill)

Lines of Inquiry:

• Living things go through life cycles.
• Our parents pass down inherited traits to us.
• Some traits we have emerge from adapting to our environment.

Inquiry Unit Theme Four: How the world works

Central Idea: Humans adapt to an environment of ever changing technology.

Sample Inquiry question asked by scholar: TBD

Summative assessment: TBD

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Change

Subject Focus: Math, Science, Reading, Writing

Learner Profile Traits: Inquirer, Thinker, Reflective

ATL Skills: Analysis (Thinking Skill)

Lines of Inquiry:

• Human needs evolve over time.
• Humans adapt physically to new technologies.
• Humans adapt socially and culturally to new technologies.

Inquiry Unit Theme Five: How the organize ourselves

Central Idea: Certain communities choose definite systems of measurement.

Sample Inquiry question asked by scholar: TBD

Summative assessment: TBD

Key Concepts: Function, Causation, Responsibility

Subject Focus: Math, Science, Reading, Writing

Learner Profile Traits: Thinker, Reflective, Knowledgeable

ATL Skills: TBD

Lines of Inquiry:

• The global scientific community has adopted the metric system.
• Many institutions have adopted the US Customary system.
• There are reasons why communities choose to be consistent to their selected measuring system.

Inquiry Unit Theme Six: Sharing the planet

Central Idea: Activists have fought for human access to equal opportunities.

Sample Inquiry question asked by scholar: TBD

Summative assessment: TBD

Key Concepts: Form, Connection, Causation

Subject Focus: Social Studies, Reading, Writing

Learner Profile Traits: Principled, Communicator, Risk-Taker

ATL Skills: TBD

Lines of Inquiry:

• Different groups of people have been oppressed.
• There are strategies that activists use to advocate for oppressed people.
• There are specific people who have evoked change through activism.